Cessna 172D accident near Pacific Ocean, PO, March 1, 1992
On March 1, 1992 at about 8:17 am local time, a Cessna 172D, registered N2425U, was destroyed in an accident near Pacific Ocean, PO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY EVALUATE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT BECOMING LOST AND DISORIENTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF TOTAL AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE AND FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1992 · about 8:17 am local time
- Place
- Pacific Ocean, PO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2425U · no longer on the register · serial 17250025
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER DEPARTED A COASTAL AIRPORT ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO SO. LAKE TAHOE, CA, WITH A PLANNED TIME ENROUTE OF 3 HOURS. ABOUT 6 HOURS AFTER THE ESTIMATED DEPARTURE TIME, THE PILOT CONTACTED A FLIGHT SERVICE STATION, REPORTING THAT HE WAS LOST AND WAS ON TOP OF AN OVERCAST IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH LESS THAN ONE HOUR OF FUEL REMAINING. THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS EFFORTS RADAR CONTACT WITH SEATTLE CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED; THE AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 110 MILES WEST OF THE U.S. COAST LINE AND GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TO RETURN TO THE COAST. ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER RADAR CONTACT, THE PILOT REPORTED FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND INDICATED THAT NO SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT WAS ON BOARD THE AIRPLANE. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 70 MILES WEST OF THE COAST LINE. A SEARCH FAILED TO LOCATE THE AIRPLANE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER ARE PRESUMED TO HAVE RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES AND THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 82 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1991; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKA Eureka CA
- Destination: TVL Lake Tahoe CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:38 am from CEC, 70 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.